


To Cherish and Be Cherished

by Lady_Clara



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Body Worship, Cuddling & Snuggling, Declarations Of Love, Emotions, Established Relationship, Gentleness, Intimacy, M/M, Making Love, Morning After, Post-Blue Lions Route (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Post-Canon, Sensuality, Sleeping Together, just a whole lot of love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:27:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22617115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Clara/pseuds/Lady_Clara
Summary: Years into their relationship, Dimitri still likes to tell Dedue how cherished he is. He likes to show him, too.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 18
Kudos: 99





	To Cherish and Be Cherished

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I envision this story taking place several years into Dimitri’s reign as king when he and Dedue are in their 30s. They took time to recover from the war, work on reforms, get married, and form a family with their adopted war orphans on top of becoming more open with their feelings and better able to express their own wants and desires. If Dimitri was able to tell Dedue during the war how “cherished” he was, just imagine what it would be like in the future when they’ve both become more comfortable expressing themselves and their feelings. 
> 
> As far as the rating goes, I would say this is sensual more than anything else, but it does describe ~lovemaking~, as those two would absolutely call it, so I think it merits an E rating. It doesn’t really go into the nitty gritty of the mechanics, but rather focuses on the emotions and the overflowing love these two have for each other. There is certainly no shortage of it!

Dimitri cherishes Dedue with every bit of his heart. Even though it has been years since his feelings first developed, years since he confessed those feelings, and years since he sealed them with a wedding ring, his love has not faded a shred. In fact, it has only grown stronger over time. These past few years, he has been able to tell Dedue how much he loves him again and again without holding back like he did during the war and the first few difficult years as king. It took a long time for them to both reach a point where they allowed themselves to love and be loved, but they worked hard to climb that mountain, and how sweet it was when they reached the peak together.

They are still private people, however, so they wait until they are alone to divulge their innermost feelings. Some days that involves holding hands behind a rosebush in an empty greenhouse, some evenings that entails cuddling under Dedue’s handcrafted blankets in front of a fire in their bedroom’s hearth, and some nights end breathless with tangled limbs and sweat-soaked sheets in the marriage bed they have made their own.

Today is one of those days Dimitri has spent every hour overcome with joy realizing for the ten thousandth time how solid Dedue’s presence still is in his life. After the war, Dedue had sworn to continue being Dimitri’s sword and shield of his own volition and later took a vow to be his lawfully wedded husband (thanks to the king’s marriage reforms in Fódlan). Dimitri does not take that for granted. Not after those five awful years thinking he was gone forever. Not after all they have lost.

This morning, they discussed royal decrees with the king’s council, moved on to delivering aid to nearby villages in the afternoon, and spent the evening cooking dinner with their adopted children before tucking them into bed. Dimitri is still awestruck that he and Dedue get to raise a family together comprised of children orphaned by war just like they were. On days like this, where at every turn he sees what a good man Dedue is, it takes all of Dimitri’s self control not to spin around during a council meeting, leap into his beloved’s arms, and shower him with kisses and declarations of love. But he does not wish to act without propriety. So he waits.

Now, as night has fallen and most of the castle has retired to bed, Dimitri sits on the divan in front of the glowing embers of their bedroom’s hearth with a cup of ginger tea ready for Dedue once he comes back from a metalworking project. The minutes that go by without being able to spill the words of love from his lips that have been brewing inside of him all day are agony, so he busies himself by fanning the flames of the hearth’s fire, polishing his armor, and rereading letters from government officials based in various parts of Fódlan.

It doesn’t help. He thinks about Dedue the entire time, and now the room seems too warm because of the fire in the hearth even though Dimitri knows deep down the heat really can’t be blamed on the flames. Regardless, he undresses out of the clothes he has been wearing all day and changes into something looser and cooler, a billowy white top and simple black pants. The smell of ginger that wafts from the tea as he sits back down on the divan does nothing to help clear his mind. It just reminds him of Dedue, and the aroma of it seems to seep into every pore and meld with the desire pooling low in his body. He musters up as much patience as he can and waits on the divan for Dedue’s return like a night-blooming jasmine waits for the moon to rise.

The sound of the heavy bedroom doors creaking open is music to Dimitri’s ears. Not soon enough, Dedue steps in, handsome face immediately finding Dimitri’s on the other side of the room and offering him the soft smile reserved for when they are alone. His light beige tunic clings to the thin layer of sweat on his skin, and he wipes his brow with the back of his hand as he closes the door behind him and removes his scarf and footwear.

Dimitri has to fight the urge to pounce like a lion.

“I am sorry to keep you waiting,” Dedue says.

Dimitri shakes his head. “No need to apologize.” He slides down to the end of the divan and pats the space next to him so Dedue can recline against the backrest. “Have some tea and relax.”

Dedue walks over and sits next to Dimitri, who offers him the full teacup before realizing Dedue’s hands are already occupied holding a small, thin box. Dedue thanks Dimitri as he takes the teacup in one hand and extends the box to him with the other. “This is for you.”

Dimitri was not expecting any gifts. “Oh?” He takes it and curls a finger through the pretty blue ribbon tied around it. “Shall I open it now?”

Dedue swallows a sip of tea. Dimitri watches as his throat bobs up and down and his tongue darts across a bead of tea clinging to his lips. “Please do,” he replies.

Dimitri concentrates on unfurling the ribbon rather than on the heat spreading through his body now that Dedue is so close. He opens the lid to reveal a small, exquisite silver piece comprised of a lion’s head flanked by two flowers Dimitri recognizes as Duscur Roses – one of Dedue’s favorite flowers. “This is breathtaking!” He takes it out of the box and holds it out in front of him, watching the light glint off the detailed indentations in the silver. “Is this the metalworking project you’ve been working on so diligently?”

“Yes.” Dedue watches Dimitri turn the piece in his hands. “You said it is bothersome when hair falls in your face during horseback rides. I thought I would make a clip so you can pin the strands to one side.” He looks up at Dimitri, and Dimitri doesn’t even bother to hide the lust he knows is plain on his face at this point. Dedue’s thoughtfulness always warms him to the core. It is incredible how many kind things the man can do in one day. “May I demonstrate?”

Dimitri swallows and nods, handing the clip over. “Yes, please.”

Dedue sweeps some of the hair away from Dimitri’s forehead and slides the clip around it. The cool metal feels nice against his scalp, but the warmth of Dedue’s hands in his hair is even better. Dedue snaps the clip shut with a soft click and sits back to survey his work. “Does it feel alright?”

“You are the most thoughtful man in the world” is all Dimitri can manage to say before he lunges across the divan and throws his arms around Dedue’s neck. “Everything you make, everything you do is perfect.”

Dedue sets his teacup down and puts a hand on the small of Dimitri’s back to steady him. “You deserve nothing less.”

Dimitri stretches further across the divan and kisses Dedue, leaning in more until Dedue is supported by the backrest so he can kiss him even deeper. He can sense the trace of ginger from the tea, a scent that has come to signify Dedue. He pushes his tongue in further so he can lap up as much of that essence as he can.

The noise Dedue makes in the back of his throat sends a shiver through Dimitri. He can feel the vibration of it through his mouth, and he angles himself upward on their narrow divan, flush against Dedue, so he can feel more of it. Dimitri is an attentive lover, making sure Dedue feels cherished every second their bodies are pressed together. He wants to give Dedue everything he is, wants Dedue to hear and feel and see and know how loved he is.

The two part, and Dimitri looks into his husband’s flushed face and lidded eyes. “I have spent all day waiting to tell you how much I cherish you. How much I love you. How incredible you are. How happy I am to rule this kingdom with you by my side.” Dimitri’s breaths are becoming uneven. “But saying you are cherished is one thing. I would like to _show_ you how true my words are.”

A quiet “oh” slips free from Dedue’s lips. The arm he has angled over Dimitri’s back fists into his billowy shirt. “You do not need to do that for my sake.”

Dimitri presses a kiss to his neck, savoring the texture of Dedue’s skin under his lips and feeling the sigh that quakes through his throat. “I want to. You deserve to know how wonderful you are. How loved you are. And even though looks are not important, how handsome you are.” He caresses Dedue’s cheek, fingers familiar with the scar running down it. “May I?”

Dedue relaxes into the divan and takes a deep breath. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, he fixes Dimitri with the tender look and smile he keeps hidden only for his partner to see. He runs the back of a fingernail across the silver clip in Dimitri’s hair. Dimitri’s breath hitches from the softness of the touch and the little clinking sound it makes. “Yes.”

Dimitri matches his smile. “Good.” He lifts a leg over so he has one on either side of the divan and therefore is better angled for indulging Dedue. “Let us start here, with your hair.” He gently runs his nails up the back of Dedue’s scalp and pushes his fingers forward so the tie holding Dedue’s hair comes off. He catches the tie and watches as the longer strands of Dedue’s white hair cascade to one side. “Yes. Your hair is just like moonlight.” He cards his other hand through the strands. “And soft like a cloud.” He sits back for a moment to sweep his own blond hair into a hasty ponytail with Dedue’s hair tie so the strands not already held by the clip won’t get in the way. He can hear Dedue’s breathing getting heavier.

Next, Dimitri inches forward and cups Dedue’s face in his hands. “And how lucky am I that this face is the last face I see before I fall asleep every night and the first face I see when I wake up every morning?” He presses feather-light kisses to every scar adorning his face – the one on his temple, the one above his eyebrow, the one on his cheek, and the one on his chin. “I love your scars. I wish you didn’t have to get them by putting yourself in danger for me, but they show that you lived.” He runs a thumb over the scar that cuts a straight line through the corner of Dedue’s lips. “This one is my favorite. I love the way it feels when our lips are pressed together.” He leans in and kisses him softly to demonstrate. He will never tire of the feeling of Dedue’s lips on his.

“Dimitri…” Dedue’s voice is a little far off.

Shivers still go down Dimitri’s spine when Dedue speaks his given name like that. It had taken so long for him to get comfortable using ‘Dimitri’ instead of ‘Your Majesty.’ “I want to show you just how cherished you are.” He presses a lingering kiss to Dedue’s jaw. “May I continue?”

He can see the rising and falling of Dedue’s chest growing heavier. “Yes.”

Dimitri kisses all the way down his neck and sets his hands on Dedue’s wide shoulders. “You have the most incredible shoulders, so sturdy and robust. I love how you carry our children on them.” He can feel himself getting emotional thinking about the family they have formed together. “Our kids love you so much. You are everything to them.”

Dedue puts a reassuring hand on Dimitri’s side. “As are you. And they are everything to us.”

Dimitri leans in and kisses a shoulder blade. “I am so glad I get to be a family with you. My beloved.” He peppers kisses all across his shoulder. “My husband. My cherished one.”

Dedue’s mouth is slightly agape, but he does not say anything. Just watches Dimitri’s actions intently as his breath puffs out.

Dimitri leans back and takes the hem of Dedue’s tunic in his hands, looking up into Dedue’s face for confirmation he can go on. Dedue nods and raises his arms so it’s easier for Dimitri to lift it off. Dimitri pushes the hem up and over, enjoying the rustling sound it makes, and tosses the tunic aside before he untucks and discards his own shirt to the wayside, careful not to disturb the hairclip in the process.

He is still overcome with relief every time he sees Dedue’s exposed chest. It is so comforting to see him look so alive and real and breathing life into his lungs. The collection of scars across his body is similar to the one Dimitri bears. He was terrified the first time he saw Dedue five years after his escape covered in scars he got from saving Dimitri’s life. But Dedue assured him he bore them proudly, and Dimitri has said before he does not want the scars on his own back to fade because they remind him that he saved someone so wonderful. Someone who became the love of his life. Some nights, when he’s huddled against Dedue’s chest, he feels Dedue’s hands on his scar-covered back and breathes a sigh of relief knowing the man he protected is still with him. It is the most comforting thing to know.

“You are so beautiful…” Dimitri says, barely louder than a whisper.

Dedue takes Dimitri’s hands in his own and rubs soothing circles into his wrists. He is so good at telling when Dimitri is getting too lost in thought and knows just how to bring him back to the present moment. “Dimitri. Everything is fine. Please, continue.”

“Right.” Dimitri tries to leave the past in the past for now and instead come back to the present so he can resume making his husband feel loved. He releases Dedue’s hands and snakes his own up to Dedue’s biceps, but even then he is reminded of a previous time. “When you were gone those five miserable years, I felt nothing but bitter cold.” He smooths his hands slowly back and forth over the thick muscle there and hears Dedue’s breath catch. “Now, every time you embrace me in these arms of yours, I feel a deep warmth.”

Dedue smiles. “My arms are always open for you.” He pulls Dimitri onto his broad chest and wraps him in a tight embrace, not that Dimitri needed proof of his statement.

Being wrapped in Dedue’s arms, feeling their bare skin pressed together, heat pools everywhere inside Dimitri. He lowers his hand down one bicep, down a forearm, and onto one of Dedue’s hands. He flexes Dedue’s wrist and feels his fingers. “It is as if all of the Duscur gods came together to craft your hands. They are strong, and more than capable of wielding heavy weapons.” He kisses his wrist and then his palm. “But I prefer seeing how gentle they are – when you’re gardening, doing needlework.” Dimitri rests Dedue’s palm on his own cheek. “When you’re caressing my face like this.” He lowers Dedue’s hand down his neck to his chest to his abdomen. “When I can feel your calluses rake across my body like this.” He shudders. “But most of all…” Dimitri fans out Dedue’s fingers and puts his own between the spaces. “I love how it feels when you hold my hand. Like our fingers belong twined together.”

“They do belong together,” Dedue replies, giving Dimitri’s hand a quick squeeze.

Dimitri burrows the side of his head into Dedue’s chest. “This is my favorite part.” He closes his eye and lets the quickening beat of Dedue’s pulse wash over him. “I love your beating heart more than anything else. I love the way I can feel it every time I rest my head on your chest.”

Dedue reaches around and presses his free hand to Dimitri’s heart, and oh, Dimitri loves having those strong hands on him like that. “I like the feeling of yours as well.”

Dimitri lifts his head up and looks him in the eyes. “It beats for you.”

Dedue smiles and kisses his forehead.

Dimitri knows the next spot is one of Dedue’s most sensitive, so he takes it slow. He releases his handhold and trails his fingers up and down the taut muscle of Dedue’s abdomen, feeling the muscles shift, letting his touch linger, watching Dedue tilt his head back and hearing him moan.

Dimitri remembers the inaugural time he heard a moan leave Dedue’s lips. His world had stopped. They had been each other’s first time, well into adulthood and some years after Dimitri ascended the throne. Despite being so close for so long, Dimitri had never heard a sound like that emerge from Dedue. It was like discovering a new place, a secret place wrapped in golden light that he could bathe in. He had released his own pleasure almost immediately after hearing it. Knowing he could elicit sounds like that from Dedue, that he could pleasure him and touch him and satisfy him, was an exhilarating thing to discover.

Back in the present moment, Dimitri can see they are both getting harder. So he slides down onto the floor and slots himself in front of Dedue, in between his legs. He sits up on his knees, holds onto the sides of Dedue’s body, and begins pressing delicate kisses to the impossibly soft white hair that graces Dedue’s torso. He follows the trail downward, feeling the muscles tighten every time Dedue quietly grunts, kissing lower and lower until his hot breath is ghosting over the trail’s end.

Dimitri flutters his lashes up at Dedue, whose chest is heaving much more rapidly now. He looks so handsome from this vantage point, so broad and tall and pulsing with life. He is the world, and Dimitri wants to map out and explore every part to discover what makes his world flourish, to open that treasure chest full of sounds of satisfaction. He wants to make Dedue feel good, and happy, and loved.

“May I…take you into my mouth?”

They have never done this before. Dimitri never even knew it was a thing that could be done until Sylvain had ushered him aside after a council meeting and slipped him a book, slyly suggesting that he and Dedue might like to try out some of its contents. Curious and confused, Dimitri had opened it to a random page and gasped in horror as his eye was met with all sorts of illustrations of people doing things with their mouths he never would have imagined. He shut the book immediately and shoved it back into Sylvain’s hands, making a beeline to the closest and coldest body of water he could plunge his head into. Sylvain had apologized for crossing a line, but Dimitri understood his intentions were good. And after thinking it over, he came to the conclusion that perhaps Dedue would enjoy the feeling of his lover’s mouth around him.

Dedue’s eyes widen. “You are a king. An act like that is beneath you.”

Dimitri kisses the fleshy inside of Dedue’s thigh over his pants and looks back up at him with a blue eye he is sure is starting to glaze over with longing. “Loving you is not beneath me, Dedue. Loving you _transcends_ me.”

Dedue lets out a heavy breath like the wind has been knocked out of him. “Oh.” His hands ball into fists at the arm of the divan and the cushion next to him. “Yes. I would like to try it if you would as well.”

Dimitri is not sure he will be competent in this undertaking, but he is very full of heat and eager to make Dedue feel good. He unbuttons Dedue’s pants and rolls them down and off, then shifts Dedue’s thighs a little further apart. His arousal is apparent. “Is this okay?”

“Yes,” Dedue breathes out immediately.

Dimitri leans forward and takes Dedue’s length into his mouth. He was not prepared for how nice it would be to feel Dedue in a way he hasn’t yet, and he catches himself sighing around him as he fills his mouth. The sounds of delight that flow from Dedue’s lips are even nicer. Dimitri digs his fingers into Dedue’s thighs as he feels his own pleasure build as a result. He moves his tongue in different ways across the luscious span of his one true love and listens to Dedue’s reactions to see what aspect of this he might like best. Judging by his rapid breaths and his fists in the divan cushions and the gasps that escape him, he seems to like all of it. This makes Dimitri even more enthusiastic and brimming with desire, so he moves his mouth further down the length, sighing into every lick of his tongue and pull of his lips. He supposes Sylvain was right.

“Dima,” Dedue breathes out in an exhale. “Wait.”

With panic washing over him, Dimitri immediately extricates himself and sits back on his heels, worrying he has done something wrong. His cloud of lust dissipates in the wake of his fear, and his eye snaps up to Dedue’s face for answers. Fortunately, there seems to be no sign of discomfort on it. Just kind eyes and a layer of sweat and a loving smile.

“I appreciate you doing this for me,” Dedue says with a gravelly voice as he unfists a hand from the divan and reaches out to cup Dimitri’s jaw. The touch is so gentle it makes Dimitri shudder. “But I would like for us to release our pleasures concurrently as one.” He brushes a strand of hair out of Dimitri’s face. “I would like to go the rest of the way, if that is alright with you.”

Dimitri’s brain catches up with him, and he feels a wave of relief and a wave of heat all at once. “O-oh, very much so.” Dedue is a profoundly thoughtful person, and he still sometimes gets uncomfortable when being indulged, so Dimitri respects his request. They are both still learning to accept that being loved does not need to have guilt attached to it, but it is a process that takes time, and Dimitri is happy to see how much progress they have made throughout the years. He stands up slowly, trying to stabilize himself on wobbly legs, and sits across Dedue’s lap, fastening his arms around Dedue’s neck and whispering in his ear, “How would you like to have me?”

Dedue shivers. “You are most comfortable on your back, correct?”

Dimitri’s lips brush the shell of Dedue’s ear. “I am most comfortable any which way my husband wants to bend my body, so long as I get to show him how much I cherish him.” He can hear Dedue inhale sharply. “On my back is a good place to start.” He kisses Dedue’s scarred temple. “I get to marvel at your handsome face that way.”

Dedue smiles, hooks an arm under Dimitri’s legs, and lifts him up effortlessly. Dimitri loves the feeling of being enveloped in those strong arms, loves running his lips over the place where Dedue’s neck and shoulders meet when he is being carried like this.

“I prefer you on your back as well,” Dedue says as he navigates them to their bed. “You are very expressive in the throes of passion. It brings me great joy to see such bliss on your face.”

Dimitri is still wearing pants, and he feels them straining more and more as he gets harder by the second. Having a waistband tighten around him is not the same as having Dedue’s large hands encircling his waist. “Is that so?” He brushes a thumb across Dedue’s jaw. “I am glad to hear it. You are the only one who will ever get to see me that way.”

“I am grateful for that honor.” Dedue lays him gently across the sheets, carefully cradling his head and releasing the tie on his hair until he is safely nestled atop a pillow. Dedue is always so considerate. It makes Dimitri’s heart soar. He hastily folds the blanket they sleep under and places it out of the way, then begins to undo the silver clip in Dimitri’s hair, but Dimitri grabs his hand and moves it away.

“Leave it in. You worked so hard to make it, and it is so lovely. I want to wear it as often as possible.”

Dedue smiles and releases his hand from Dimitri’s. He brushes the back of his fingers across the silver. “It looks very nice on you.”

“I’m sure it does because you crafted it.” Dimitri angles a knee to the side, creeps his hands up beside his head, and turns his face to one side to better expose his neck and put the handmade silver clip on display while the rest of his golden hair fans out on the pillow. He stretches like a lion in the hot sun, arousal clear in his pants. If Dedue likes watching him in the throes of passion, he’ll make sure pleasure is painted on every inch of his body for Dedue to revel in.

Lying in bed like this, Dimitri gets a full view of Dedue standing beside him. He is the most handsome man on this earth, and Dimitri could admire every part of the whole – his pronounced abs, his strong legs, his broad shoulders – but really, the best part in Dimitri’s mind is that Dedue is standing in front of him alive and well and in love.

He cannot wait for Dedue to press him down into the bed – _their_ bed – and fill him.

Dedue seems to drink in the sight of Dimitri as well before he grabs a small bottle of oil and sets some towels at their nightstand. Dimitri bites his lip in anticipation as Dedue sits on his knees at the end of their bed, weight settling into the mattress. He puts two gentle hands on Dimitri’s hips and looks down into his face for permission.

Dimitri nods. Having Dedue above him like this feels like home. He feels safe, protected, ready to give and receive all the love pooling within. “I am ready for the one I cherish.”

Dedue finally unbuttons the suffocating pants and peels them off with Dimitri’s fervent cooperation, placing them on the trunk at the foot of their bed next to the folded blanket. Dimitri shivers from the chill in the air and the anticipation of joining bodies with the one he loves.

Dedue shifts forward and puts a hand next to Dimitri’s head and with his other hooks a finger under the band of Dimitri’s eyepatch. “May I?” He always asks before removing it.

Years after losing his eye, Dimitri is still self-conscious about it. He grimaces every time he sees his reflection in the mirror without his eyepatch on. To him, it is an ugly spot of scarred tissue and mangled skin that signifies an uglier chapter of his life. “It is unsightly,” he says.

Dedue removes his finger from under the band and brushes a lock of hair behind Dimitri’s ear. “Nothing about you is unsightly.”

Dimitri knows Dedue loves every part of him the way he loves every part of Dedue. Dedue has told him before he does not find any bit of him ugly in the slightest, just like Dimitri has assured him the same. So he realizes it’s irrational to worry about something so trivial. Besides, he likes the vulnerability of being completely naked in front of the one he loves and trusts. The thought of it brings a fresh wave of heat to his belly. He smiles and turns his head so he can kiss Dedue’s palm. “Go ahead and remove it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I want you to see all of me.”

Dedue presses a soft kiss to Dimitri’s lips. The tenderness of it sets Dimitri’s soul on fire. “It does not matter whether you wear your eyepatch or not. You are wholly Dimitri whenever I gaze upon you. The absence or presence of a piece of fabric does not change that.”

That warms every part of Dimitri’s heart and sparks an intense wave of heat through him. “Oh, Dedue.” He can’t wait – he throws the eyepatch off himself and tosses it far away. “I don’t think I will last much longer if you keep showering me with your words like this. Please. I need you inside me.”

Dimitri sucks in a breath as Dedue begins to glide his hands down his body. The friction from his callused skin and the wedding band he wears that matches Dimitri’s own feels glorious. He starts at his shoulders and works downward until he lands on the dips next to Dimitri’s hipbones. Dedue knows these are some of Dimitri’s most sensitive spots. He rubs the skin in soft circles with his thumbs, and Dimitri can’t help but whimper and roll his hips up into the touch. His battle-hardened body has been pierced by so many weapons that his pain tolerance has gotten abnormally high. A sword or lance to his flesh will hardly be worth noticing anymore. But as tolerant to weapons as Dimitri’s skin is, he is deeply, _deeply_ sensitive to Dedue’s touch. Gentle hands on his hips, lips grazing the shell of his ear in a whisper, light kisses in between his collarbones – it all sets Dimitri’s body ablaze. Any time Dedue’s touch is upon him, it feels like light pulsing through his limbs. After spending five touch-starved years apart from his love, his body can’t drink up his touches enough.

“You say often that you cherish me,” Dedue states, continuing to rub circles between his hips as Dimitri bucks into the touch. “But you must know I cherish you as well. You have all of my devotion. Not because you are a king, not because it is my duty, but because I choose to give it to you. You are worthy of my love.”

“ _Oh_ , Dedue.” This is a reminder Dimitri desperately needs from time to time, and he appreciates it greatly when Dedue voices it. “I am – _ah_ – the luckiest man… _nghh_ …in the world…to have it.”

Dedue relinquishes his hold, and a shiver runs through Dimitri’s body as he hears the sound of Dedue opening the bottle of oil and coating his fingers. Much like he has had difficulty controlling his strength, Dimitri finds it impossible to control the sounds that unearth themselves from his lungs when Dedue begins prepping him. All Dimitri can hear is his voice reverberating around the room. He grips both sides of his pillow as Dedue eases him open. The sensation of having any part of Dedue in him is a welcome one. But the preparation seems to last forever. “Dedue,” he says in a voice so hoarse he can hardly recognize it as his own. “Please. I’m ready. Please.”

Dimitri can hear the fondness in Dedue’s response. “You’ve been waiting for this all day, haven’t you?” He says it more as a statement than a question.

“Yes, waiting for you.” Dimitri struggles to speak coherently, eye shut tight. “I waited…wanted to tell… _mmm_ …cherished…so cherished…love you…so much…”

Dedue removes his fingers, and Dimitri gusts out an exhale. He feels Dedue shift on the bed and separate Dimitri’s legs wider, pressing one knee to the sheets. “Relax, Dimitri. I will take care of you.”

Dimitri gasps loudly and throws his head back hard into the pillow as Dedue pushes into him. Everything about it feels right. His entire body responds with pleasure. He feels whole. Loved. Happy.

The sounds Dedue makes as he thrusts into him are so exquisite. They echo all over the room, and Dimitri does his best to drink them in and commit each one to memory. But it’s not enough. They’re too far, bouncing off the walls and getting away from him. He wants to hear that opened treasure chest of sounds closer, right in his ear. So he grabs Dedue’s back and pulls him down. Dedue lands on top of Dimitri with a gust of an exhale, but adjusts quickly and keeps going. This is one of Dimitri’s favorite ways to make love, and Dedue knows it. He likes all of Dedue’s weight flush against his body, pressing him down into the mattress, skin on skin, enveloped by Dedue’s large and protective frame. He likes to hear Dedue panting in his ear as his hips roll against Dimitri’s and he thrusts further inside.

Dimitri digs his fingers into Dedue’s strong shoulders and the back of his head, and he groans into Dedue’s ear so his lover will know how good it feels to be intimate with him. He moves his knee further up on the bed so Dedue can go deeper. He wants as much as Dedue is willing to give, wants to feel his full weight push Dimitri down into the mattress with so much battle-toned might that it splits it in half and they are left lying on the floor in a tangle of sheets.

“Dedue. Harder. Please.”

Dedue acquiesces to Dimitri’s desperation and increases the speed and strength of his thrusts as his grunts grow louder in Dimitri’s ear. Dimitri surrenders gladly, letting his body be encompassed by the warmth and power of his lover. He doesn’t care that the sections of his hair not held together by the thankfully still intact silver clip are plastered to his neck and cheek and forehead. His grip on Dedue’s back keeps slipping from all the sweat between them, but he continues repositioning it so he can feel the ripples in Dedue’s back muscles every time he plunges into him. The friction of Dedue’s body sliding over his own is everything he needs. He holds onto Dedue for dear life, so happy Dedue is real and alive and not an apparition that haunts him. He wants to feel him everywhere.

He notices his legs are splayed out to the cold night air, left untouched, itching to be a part of this feast of love. So he wraps them around Dedue’s warm body, even though it’s a bit of a strain, and with the force of his strong legs presses Dedue down on him even more.

“Dimitri…”

He loves when Dedue speaks his name with so much affection behind it. His heels dig into Dedue’s lower back. He wants to feel every bit of Dedue on him, in him, around him.

The next thrust hits somewhere deep inside, somewhere only Dedue’s love could ever reach. Dimitri arches his back and moans so intensely he can feel it vibrate through every part of their joined bodies.

Dedue drags his head closer and puts his lips on Dimitri’s neck. Dimitri tends to wear clothes and armor that cover his neck, so it is rare to have it exposed like it is now. When Dedue tenderly kisses it, Dimitri tilts his head back further into the pillow to bare as much of it as he can. Dedue kisses up the column of it while Dimitri whines from the gentle kisses combined with the deep thrusts.

Dimitri can feel himself unraveling. He turns his head so Dedue’s lips can unite with his own before they both come undone, but is too stunned from what meets his eye to continue the motion. Next to him, he sees the love of his life, eyes lidded and glazed over, cheeks dark, sweat beading on his brow, and mouth parted and panting. “ _Oh_ , Dedue,” Dimitri sighs.

“Dimitri...” Dedue’s voice is so wracked with passion that Dimitri’s blood overflows with heat. He is so close. Dedue reaches down, and Dimitri sharply inhales as Dedue takes his length in his hand and begins stroking it. Dedue’s hand is the only one that has ever touched him here, the only one that will ever touch him here. His hands are large and powerful, and while Dimitri has seen them cut down enemies on the battlefield, they have only ever touched him with reverence and care. Dimitri has an unearthly amount of stamina, but when Dedue touches him like this, he knows he will not last much longer before his body spasms in ecstasy.

Dedue raises his head from beside Dimitri, brushes sweat-soaked hair out of Dimitri’s face, kisses the fluttering pulse between his collarbones, and kisses his scarred eyelid – the one Dimitri has always seen as too hideous to love – with all the tenderness in the world. This is it.

“I love you,” Dedue whispers breathlessly in his ear, and that sends Dimitri over the edge entirely. He bellows out Dedue’s name so loudly the stone walls of their bedroom seem to shake, pleasure spilling out of him right as Dedue spills into him. His vision goes unfocused while his veins pulsate with stunning warmth and satisfaction. He feels love infuse deep into his being, in his blood and in his bones and in the very core of his heart and soul. With their bodies pressed together, he hopes that feeling can diffuse through Dedue’s skin, too. He wants his beloved to feel this good.

As Dedue’s hand eases Dimitri through the last of his release, Dimitri’s arms fall to his sides and he sinks into the bed feeling boneless.

For a while, all he can do is pant and catch his breath while Dedue does the same lying atop him. Every inch of his body feels nourished and revitalized. He returns to himself with Dedue’s heavy exhales tickling his neck.

Eventually, Dedue pulls out of him and rolls to the side. Dimitri shivers from the loss of body heat, but Dedue is back on him soon enough with a towel to clean them up.

“How do you feel?” Dedue asks, folding the towel once he’s done wiping it across Dimitri’s slack body and placing it back on the nightstand.

It takes effort for Dimitri to make the simple movement of shifting to his side so he can face Dedue. “I feel deeply in love.” His voice is still coming back to him. In the meantime, he presses a kiss to Dedue’s jaw. “How about you?”

Dedue puts his arms around Dimitri’s waist. “I feel grateful.” He lifts a hand up and runs a thumb across Dimitri’s cheek. “You have a healthy glow after lovemaking. Your face is bright with color that reaches all the way down to your chest. It is a welcome sight.”

Dimitri hums, content. “You are the only one who can leave me glowing like that.”

It is heartwarming that Dedue would call attention to the red coloring in Dimitri’s cheeks. They both have such a deep appreciation for seeing each other in good health, and they tend to notice the little signs of everyday wellbeing even in lovemaking: glowing face, beating heart, lungs filling with air. There was a time when all the signs pointed to the opposite – Dimitri spent so many years thinking Dedue had been cut down after helping him escape, heart never to beat again, and Dedue had returned back to Dimitri to see him with a pallor and crumbling health. They worked hard to overcome those obstacles, and they cared for one another through it all. Now, improved health is something they can celebrate together.

Dimitri winds his arms around Dedue’s neck and presses their foreheads together. “I love you, Dedue. I cherish you with all my heart.”

They take a few more moments of peace to close their eyes and catch their breath, putting their minds at ease and letting the stress of ruling a kingdom temporarily slip away. Dimitri will work diligently on his royal duties tomorrow as he always does, but right now, he is focused on the love he has for his husband and the love his husband has bestowed upon him.

When he opens his eye again, he is met with Dedue’s face, luminous in the afterglow, and he can’t resist tilting his head and putting his lips on Dedue’s. He savors the feeling of it, the plushness of his lips and the scar at the corner of his mouth. They kiss each other languidly, arms loosely draped around each other, enjoying the literal and figurative closeness they share.

After a while, however, the kisses start to take on a recharged vivacity. Dimitri uses his arms around Dedue’s neck to slide himself closer so he can close the gap. Dedue matches Dimitri’s vigor in kisses, mouth warm and willing and inviting, and Dimitri can feel his own blood and arousal heating up again. When he slots a knee between Dedue’s thighs, he can feel that Dedue’s is heating up, too. It only takes a few deep, luxurious kisses for him to feel the Blaiddyd Crest involuntarily surfacing.

Dimitri used to hate his Crest. Its unintentional activation would lead to broken weapons during training and bent needles during embroidery lessons with Mercedes. Nothing but unwanted destruction was left in its wake. But here, in their shared bedroom, the strength of the Blaiddyd Crest meets with the strength of Dimitri’s love for Dedue and melts into something wonderful and passionate and enduring. It grants him the ability to give all the love he has to give, and there is no shortage of it.

There is still too much space between them. Dimitri needs to show Dedue how deep and true his love is. So he pushes Dedue on his back and climbs on top of him, holding onto the back of his head and kissing him with all the passion coursing through his veins. Dedue responds by holding Dimitri close and returning his might in kisses. Dimitri feels like he’s floating, his body being pushed up and down to the rhythm of the quickening rise and fall of Dedue’s belly underneath him. He sighs into the feeling of being wrapped in his loved one’s embrace, mouths open and eager to savor all they can to make up for lost time.

At some point, they have to part for air. Dimitri does not realize how fervently they’ve been kissing until he hears how labored both of their breathing has gotten. He looks down and sees that he and Dedue are both fully hard again.

“I love you,” Dimitri says as he pushes himself up on all fours. He rocks up so he can sit on his knees, one on either side of Dedue’s waist. “Can we make love again while I am up here?”

Dedue smiles. “Yes.” He eases his callused hands up Dimitri’s legs – oh, how Dimitri loves that sensation – and gently massages circles into his inner thighs, another immensely sensitive area.

Dimitri jolts with a whimper at the initial contact, head rolling back and sparks igniting all through his body anew. He pushes his thighs forward so he can press further into the touch.

From the grin on his face, Dedue seems to find the scene very amusing. “You must have pined for me all day to be so sensitive to a touch so soft.”

Dimitri adores when Dedue throws bold comments like this his way. It took so long to break through the barrier the titles of lord and vassal had wedged between them. Both had held back so much, especially with Dedue’s constant worry that he was bridging a gap he wasn’t meant to. But they worked through it, and now they are freer and more playful with their words. It is a testament to their ever-growing closeness.

Dimitri smirks. “You know my body well. But you would do well to remember that I know yours, too.” He leans forward and leisurely traces his fingers down Dedue’s abdomen, landing on an area he knows is particularly sensitive. He lightly runs his fingernails up and down the trail of hair there. As expected, Dedue writhes under his touch with a laugh.

“The impenetrable shield of the king, undone by the lightest grazing of fingertips,” Dimitri quips.

They both take a moment to laugh. It’s so easy now, being together. So many barriers have come down over time, leaving them with open hearts and the ability to find joy in little moments like these. Dimitri will never stop being thankful for that.

“I am glad we know each other well,” Dedue says as he takes a gentle hold of Dimitri’s hip in one hand and with the other readjusts the silver lion and roses clip Dimitri is still wearing in his hair. He looks at him with so much fondness. “And there is still more to learn.”

Before Dedue can bring his arm down, Dimitri grabs his hand and softly kisses the back of it. “Certainly.” He lets it trail down his body and end up on his other hip. “I look forward to learning everything I can about you, Dedue Molinaro, so I can always make you happy.”

He watches Dedue’s face glow. “Being by your side makes me happiest.” His hands on Dimitri’s hips are so warm. It feels splendid. “May I assist you on your way down?”

Dimitri’s whole body is on fire with what’s to come. “Yes, please.”

Dedue slowly lowers Dimitri’s hips until he sinks fully down onto Dedue’s length. Dimitri lets out a moan at the sensation of being filled again, keeping his gaze on Dedue so he can watch his mouth fall open as he exhales a gust of air, abs tightening.

“ _Mmh_ , you feel amazing this way,” Dimitri says.

“As…as do you,” Dedue replies with a strained voice.

If Dedue likes to see Dimitri in the throes of passion underneath him, Dimitri will make sure it is pleasing from above as well. Dedue’s legs are bent at the knees, so Dimitri threads his arms behind him and through the upside down V the bend makes. He grabs onto his wrists behind him so he can expand his chest and part his knees even wider, leaning back against Dedue's legs for support. Dedue already has a broad frame, so spreading his knees out even more makes Dimitri wince at first, but he enjoys the stretch in his thighs. A combination of horseback riding, frequent combat training, and Dedue dragging him to the sauna for his health has made Dimitri’s body remarkably pliant. He appreciates that this pliability allows him to make a display of himself for his lover’s viewing pleasure. This particular position is a vulnerable one – he is open and laid bare before Dedue, limbs back and arms locked in place by his own grip. More than his body itself, Dimitri knows Dedue will appreciate the unwavering trust conveyed by a position like this.

He lets Dedue guide his hips to establish the initial slow pace. He likes when Dedue sets their rhythm first so he can make a mental note of what paces he enjoys. And he likes how he can get such a good view of Dedue while straddling him like this. He is glistening with sweat that shines in the candlelight as his chest rises and falls. Every feature of his – his strong jaw, the slant of his brows, his velvety lower lip – looks more pronounced when viewed from above. Even the muscles of his neck seem to be engaged in this activity. And it feels different to be filled with him from this angle. Dimitri feels like he can do more from up here to make things nice for Dedue and give him a much-deserved chance to relax into the pillows. Thankfully, instead of having to use his brawn on the battlefield these days, he can give Dedue all the strength of his Crest and his pliant body in the form of readily available love.

“My life is yours, Dedue,” he says, reflecting back the words Dedue once said to him during the war. “I am yours for the taking.”

Dedue huffs out a breath. “Do not speak about yourself…” – he screws his eyes shut and blinks them open again – “…like you are nothing more than a prize to be won.”

“A prize?” Dimitri laughs. “How could I – _hah_ – ever be a prize when there was never any competition to begin with?” He stalls his movement for a moment and tilts his head to the side, grinning. “Only a clear victor from the very beginning.”

Dedue looks amused and responds by digging his thumbs into that sensitive part of Dimitri’s upper thighs. Dimitri tips his head back and moans, suddenly acutely aware of the throbbing between his legs.

Dedue seems to notice, too. “Dima. Shall I take you in my hand now?”

“Not yet,” Dimitri stammers out. He leans back further and rolls his hips hard. His Crest grants him a great deal of stamina and strength, but he can tell he is already close to unspooling again. “I still need to tell you…h-how much I cherish you...love you…”

“You don’t need to tell me. I know.”

“But I want you to… _mmh_ …to hear it.”

There is a peculiar flower in one of the greenhouses he and Dedue built that unfurls its blue petals slowly, one by one, to reveal a spectacular golden center that seems to sparkle in the light that filters through the greenhouse panels. In full bloom, the center lifts towards the sun as the weight of the petals bend backward. It is as if the flower is wholly giving itself over for the sun’s admiration. Here, with the one he loves, Dimitri is in full bloom, limbs bent backward, and he wants to offer up the entirety of his golden center to Dedue, only to Dedue, it was always going to be Dedue. Dedue is the light that makes him shine.

Dimitri can’t help but speed up the movement of his hips thinking about it, feeling Dedue deep inside. “You. Are. Cherished.” His breath is running ragged, and he’s panting around all of his words now.

Dedue’s hold on his hips tightens. Dimitri was blessed with the broad shoulders of a warrior, but his waist and hips had always seemed too narrow to him. During and even after the war, he worried it would leave him at a disadvantage in battle against someone with a stronger and broader physique. But then he discovered Dedue’s large hands could fit almost all the way around his waist and leave him breathless under such a strong, searing hot grasp. After that, he developed quite an appreciation for his slender build. And he is grateful for it now with Dedue’s fingertips digging into his waist and hips as their pleasures build with the movement.

“Irreplaceable…!” Dimitri cries out, his composure falling away piece by piece. “Cherished…!”

The heat is becoming too much. He needs something to root him in place. He lets go of his wrists behind him, unthreads his arms from under Dedue’s knees, and grips the bedsheets on either side of him.

Dedue doesn’t answer Dimitri’s assertions of love right away, but Dimitri hardly notices in the haze of heat – until he sees a wet streak trail down the side of his lover’s face. Blinking back to awareness, he sees tears pooling in Dedue’s eyes, and he starts to slow down his pace in worry.

“They are tears of joy,” Dedue says with a shaky voice before Dimitri can comment. He uses those strong hands to speed up the movement of Dimitri’s hips to the previous rhythm. “It is a joy being with you, Dimitri. It is a joy to be loved by you.”

Dedue takes Dimitri’s length in his hand, and Dimitri thinks about those words through every stroke. It only takes a few before Dimitri is tipping his head back and letting his mouth hang open as he climaxes, his pleasure spilling onto Dedue’s torso as Dedue’s pleasure is released into him. Their lovemaking feels like a victory, every impossible mountain to climb and every obstacle put in their paths worth it to surmount in order to get here in the end. The phrase “It is a joy to be loved by you” repeats over and over again in Dimitri’s head as light spreads through his whole body. How sweet those words are when they come from Dedue’s tongue and seep into every one of Dimitri’s pores like a salve, like a healing spell has been cast through his whole body. Every part of him feels renewed.

When he comes back to himself, he lets go of the bedsheets, and his first order of business is to make sure Dedue is okay. This is not the first time he has cried during intimacy – Dimitri has done so as well on several occasions, overcome with the notion of loving and being loved – but Dimitri always checks in with him when it happens. His goal is thwarted, however, when his attention is drawn to the long, thin rips in the sheets where his grip had been. He must have torn them in his euphoric state. Guilt washes over him – Dedue had sewn these.

Dedue must notice his shamed expression. He takes Dimitri’s hands off the rips in the fabric and holds them in his own. “Do not worry. We can fix them.”

“I’m sorry.” Dimitri hangs his head. “My love for you is just that strong.”

“All is well.” Dedue grins. “Be glad it was not the headboard this time. Linens are much easier to put back together.”

Dimitri has a flashback to the time he grabbed their bed’s headboard for support while his legs were over Dedue’s shoulders and the stretch in his thighs felt unbelievably good. When he resurfaced from his orgasm, the wood had a giant crack down the middle.

“Do not dwell on that either,” Dedue says as if he is reading Dimitri’s mind.

Dimitri carefully lifts himself off of Dedue and leans over to grab a towel from the nightstand so he can clean up. He gently drags the towel down Dedue’s body with one hand and wipes the streaks of tears away with the other. “Beloved,” he says. “Is everything alright?”

Dedue kisses the backs of Dimitri’s fingers. “Yes. It is still overpowering sometimes to recognize that I have your love.” He musters up a smile. “I am grateful to have it.”

Dimitri has to swallow back tears himself after hearing such a heart-melting statement. He tosses the towel aside and sits Dedue up, winding his arms around his neck and back and soothing him with a hug. “You always had it. And you will always have it.” He kisses the scar on his cheek.

Dedue scoops him up in his arms and slides off the bed. Dimitri’s limbs feel undeniably heavy, like his body is so replete with love it can hardly move, so he lets them droop in Dedue’s hold. Dedue carries him to the divan and gently props him up against the backrest, covering him with a light blanket. He returns a moment later to hand him a glass of water. “Rest here while I change the bedding.”

Dimitri takes a few sips of water. “I do not mind sleeping in a bed damp with our lovemaking,” he tells him. “It is rather nice to rest on sheets cooled by the mingling of our sweat and our pleasure.”

Dedue’s eyes go wide as a blush crosses his features. “Dimitri. To say such things…” A grin sweeps across his face. “I am surprised you still have the energy to speak. Is your tongue not weary from all you have said and done with it tonight?”

Another bold comment thrown Dimitri’s way. He delights in the teasing. He playfully licks the water on his lips in response and smiles, passing Dedue the half-full glass so he can drink the rest. “Next time I use my tongue, I would be glad if you spilled into my mouth. I want to feel your pleasure glide all the way down my throat.” He lifts his chin up and drags fingers over his throat to demonstrate.

Dedue nearly spits his water back into the glass, momentarily choking. He clears his throat and shakes his head with a laugh. “Save your lust for another time. We must retire to bed now.”

Dedue rustles through a cabinet to produce a fresh pair of linens and then walks back to the bed to strip it of the ripped-up sheets.

“Let me help you,” Dimitri says from the divan.

Dedue shakes his head from the other side of the room. “You need to rest your body right now. You exerted it thoroughly.”

Dimitri leans over the divan and observes Dedue, still completely naked, shaking out the new bed sheets and tossing them onto the mattress – _their_ mattress. The fire in the hearth has burned out and the candlelight has grown dim, leaving Dedue illuminated mainly by the shimmer of moonlight streaming through the windows. Dimitri can see the shift in his muscles in the moonlit shadow as he smooths out the sheets and carefully tucks them into every corner of the bed until he is satisfied with his work. Feeling desire stir again while watching him, Dimitri would argue that he certainly could exert his body more tonight. But Dedue is right. Kingly duties will be waiting for him in the morning, so they must get sleep.

Once he finishes preparing the bed, Dedue frees Dimitri of the light blanket he draped across him, lifts him off the divan, and carries him away. Dimitri assures him he has plenty of energy to walk the few feet it would take to get to the bed, but Dedue insists that transporting him there is the least he can do after being so “coarse” with his body, even though Dimitri enjoys it that way. Dimitri suspects Dedue, though not giving voice to it, actually likes carrying him around. Dimitri had mentioned once that he always feels safe in Dedue’s arms, and since then, Dedue has seemed to find any excuse to sweep him off his feet. So he stops arguing and just enjoys resting his head on Dedue’s shoulder as he is whisked to bed.

Dedue once again lays him down gently, going vertebrae by vertebrae as he lowers him. Dimitri is still a bit uncomfortable with the notion of being overly doted on, but he does appreciate how thoughtful Dedue is with him physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s nice to be taken care of like this after years of leaving his health unchecked.

Dimitri turns to his side and runs his hands down the cool fabric of the clean sheets. He presses his nose to them and smiles. “You sewed these, too.”

Dedue lifts an eyebrow as he blows out the candles and grabs the heavy blanket he folded earlier. “How can you tell?”

“Your handiwork. And your scent. I recognize both.”

Dedue laughs and settles down on the other side of the bed. Dimitri loves how the mattress dips when his husband crawls into bed with him. “I wonder if the people of Fódlan know their king is so endlessly enamored of his sword and shield.”

Dimitri slides closer and twirls the wedding band on Dedue’s finger. “I’m fairly certain they do.”

Dedue unfurls the heavy blue blanket (also his handiwork) and covers them with it. The warm material feels nice against Dimitri’s bare skin – so does the arm that wraps around his waist. He nestles into it and lays his head over Dedue’s heart, feeling the soft thrum of his comforting heartbeat.

The best part of lovemaking, in Dimitri’s opinion, is this, when he and Dedue get to hold each other and bask in the splendor of their eternal love. In the quiet of the night, he gets to feel the tingling sensation of the pleasure purifying his body while he soaks up the sight of Dedue’s peaceful body and content expression. There was a time he thought he would never have this opportunity. A time he thought he would never get to tell Dedue he loved him. He is glad that time is long gone.

He idly drifts his fingers up and down Dedue’s chest. “Do you believe me now when I say you are cherished?”

Dedue closes his hand over Dimitri’s and kisses the top of his head. “I never doubted you.” He rolls them into his favorite sleeping position – the one where Dimitri’s back is pressed up against Dedue’s chest and Dedue has his arms around him. Even in sleep, he takes on the role of the king’s shield. Dimitri likes this placement, too. His hand is still held by Dedue, and Dedue’s breath on his neck is a comfort as he lulls into sleep.

“Are you comfortable?” Dedue asks.

Dimitri nestles further into his arms. “I am always comfortable wrapped in your embrace.”

“My words before were true,” Dedue says. “My arms are always open for you.”

Dimitri hooks an ankle behind Dedue’s leg and brushes it up and down Dedue’s calf. “And my legs are always open for you.”

“Dimitri!”

“My mouth, too, should you wish for me to take you into it again.”

Dedue playfully covers Dimitri’s mouth with his hand. “It certainly seems to bring you great difficulty to keep it shut.”

Dimitri’s resulting laughter is muffled by Dedue’s hand. Even though he can’t see Dedue’s reaction, he knows that has earned him a blush. But he does not want to end the night on such a salacious statement. So he takes Dedue’s hand away from his mouth, laces their fingers together, and places their joined hands up against his chest. “Most importantly, my heart is always open for you.”

Dedue kisses the back of Dimitri’s head. “Mine as well. Good night, Dimitri.” He can hear the smile in his words.

“Good night, my cherished one.”

It takes a while for the adrenaline of so much passion to wane, but once his heartbeat calms down, he lets sleep wash over him.

* * *

The next morning, Dimitri wakes up to a ribbon of sunshine curling around his shoulder, a signal that daybreak has arrived. Being a light sleeper and someone who is frequently plagued by nightmares, it is not unusual for him to wake before sunrise and stay up instead of making the futile effort to go back to sleep. But on nights when his body, heart, and mind have been thoroughly sated by Dedue, he tends to have his most peaceful slumbers.

He doesn’t bother checking behind him – he knows his early riser husband has already awoken and started his day. Usually, when Dedue is out before Dimitri wakes up, he leaves an item behind as a sign of his love. Today, it is his years-old Duscur-patterned teal scarf folded up on the adjacent pillow. Dimitri smiles and takes it, holding it close and nestling his cheek into the soft fabric, the earthy scent of his husband woven into the fibers.

Dedue wore this scarf often during the war. Back then, Dimitri spent so many sleepless nights in front of the rubble of Garreg Mach’s cathedral, hardly noticing the drafts of bitterly cold air that swept through the building. He was so deep in the dark recesses of his mind that he could barely register anything in the physical world around him. It was all drowned out by the roar of the unpleasant thoughts that sank him into a dark place he assumed he would never resurface from. But then daybreak would announce itself with sunlight glinting off the gold in the wrecked altar, and when he came to, that long scarf had somehow ended up draped around his shoulders through the night.

Neither his nor Dedue’s trauma magically disappeared at any point after the war ended. Recovery has not been an easy, linear process for them – some days, Dimitri’s mind and body feel like a prison with the darkness threatening to consume him again. But Dedue’s scarf, colors a bit faded from the sun with a few frays here and there, is a reminder they have been healing together and will continue to do so. And today, Dimitri’s mind and body feel nothing like a prison, but rather like a flower blooming in springtime with the shadow of a cold snap long behind it. He brings the scarf closer to his heart.

As if on cue, Dedue walks in through the bedroom doors fully dressed and carrying a large tray of food and a little vase with a pretty red flower – a Duscur Rose to match the two on the hairclip he made. He quietly shuts the door with his foot and looks over at their bed. “Good morning. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

Dimitri shakes his head and hums a ‘no,’ still blinking sleep out of his eye. It is rare for him to wake up feeling this relaxed. He wants to rejoice in it. “I love you,” he says in a voice heavy from rest.

Dedue places the tray down and looks back at Dimitri with those soft eyes. “I love you, too. Breakfast is here when you’re ready to eat.”

Dimitri props himself up on his elbows and stretches his neck so his body can wake up more. He hears faint laughter from the other side of the room and looks over with a lifted brow at the source.

Dedue walks over to the bed and sits on the edge of it. “Are you aware you slept in the hairclip I made you? Your hair is knotted all around it.” He runs a hand over the silver piece. 

Dimitri leans into Dedue’s touch at the side of his head and lifts a hand to the hairclip. Sure enough, he can feel a collection of tangles around the cool metal. Dedue unlatches the clip, and Dimitri tries to wrestle his hand away, but Dedue emerges the victor.

“You can put it in again after you wash and comb out all of these knots,” Dedue tells him as he picks apart some of the tangles.

Dimitri leans his head onto Dedue’s side and looks up at him. “I don’t want to wash you off of my body just yet.” He can see Dedue blush at that.

“Dimitri." His tone is one of amusement. He lifts himself off the bed and smiles. “There will be another time for that.” He extends his hand. “Join me for breakfast. It is imperative you eat something substantial for the day ahead.”

Dedue is right, and Dimitri is eager to spend some quality family time with his children this morning before he gets to work on Kingdom reforms, so he releases his hold on the scarf and takes Dedue’s hand, letting him pull him off the mattress.

The second he swings his legs over the bed, his body protests.

He winces as pain shoots everywhere below his waist and a strangled sound unintentionally escapes him.

Dedue instantly tightens his hold on Dimitri’s hand and grabs his side with his free hand. “Dimitri!” His voice is laced with panic. “What’s wrong? Is it…”

Dimitri laughs. His thighs burn intensely. Every muscle in them feels sore. Even his ab muscles sting. He really did thoroughly exert his body last night straining his legs around Dedue’s muscular back to pull his full weight onto him one minute and stretching his thighs wide beyond their limit over Dedue’s wonderfully broad frame the next.

“Do not worry yourself, Dedue,” he assures him. “It is just an ache. One I enjoy the feeling of.” He stands up slowly, the burn spreading up through his legs, but stabilizes himself enough so he can kiss the frown off of Dedue’s face. “I will spend today in meetings and writing letters and reading through paperwork, all the while feeling your presence in my thighs. It will be a comfort.”

Dedue throws a simple blue robe over Dimitri’s naked body and guides him over to the table with an arm around his waist. Dimitri tries his best to walk without limping so as not to worry Dedue more than he already has, but it is a harder feat than he imagined. This is not the first time he has had difficulty walking after a night of passion with Dedue, and he secretly hopes it will not be his last. The way Dimitri sees it, every intimate night they spend together is to be held dear. He spent too many years thinking Dedue was gone forever, and it still gives him pause to remember that he is real and alive and by his side after all this time. So he likes when the sensations of their lovemaking linger into the next day.

Dedue, however, still seems troubled when it occurs. He sets Dimitri very carefully down in a chair and looks at the floor dejectedly. “I would never intend to hurt you,” he says quietly.

“My cherished one.” Dimitri grabs Dedue’s hands and gives them a gentle squeeze. “You did not hurt me. You healed my entire body with your love last night. This is simply a pleasant sensation. One I consider myself fortunate to have.”

“Fortunate?” Dedue asks.

Dimitri kisses the backs of his hands and smiles up at him. “Just like the scars on my back are a reminder that I saved someone special, this ache will be a reminder that I got to make passionate love with the one I cherish. I consider myself a very fortunate man for that.” He kisses Dedue's wrist and looks up into his face. “I will bear this emblem of our lovemaking as proudly as I bear my scars.”

Dedue looks undeniably flustered, letting go of Dimitri's hands and looking anywhere else but Dimitri’s face. His response is to grab a sweet bun from the tray and stuff it into Dimitri’s mouth. “Occupy your tongue with food so I do not have to hear it say such things.”

Dimitri laughs around the mouthful of pastry and delights in the furious blush permeating his husband’s face. He wants to tell him he would like to occupy his tongue elsewhere, but his duties await him, and he can’t afford to spend all morning making Dedue blush. Although, thinking back to the sounds Dedue made last night when Dimitri’s tongue was on him, Dimitri is starting to get flustered himself. So he sticks to eating his breakfast.

After thanking Dedue for the meal, Dimitri takes a bath that alleviates some of the soreness, combs the tangles out of his hair, dresses, and packs his hairclip so he can use it later when he goes on a family horseback ride once his children have finished their tutoring.

Dedue meets him at the door, and they step out into the hallway to start their day.

Partway down the hall, Dedue pauses and turns to face Dimitri, fixing him with that special smile. “I am grateful to be cherished by you.”

Dimitri returns the smile and links their arms together. “I am grateful to have you in my life to cherish.”

As they make their way through the castle halls to wish the children they adopted together a good morning, then begin their day’s work of side by side making Fódlan a better place, Dimitri’s words could not be truer.


End file.
